Control system for textile machines



Feb. 14, 1961 s. J. ADAMS CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 2, 1956 2,971,320 CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Simpson James Adams, '4 E. Lewis Plaza, Greenviile, S11.

Filed Feb. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 563,005

6 Claims. (Cl. 57-81) cludes a jogging switch to operate the frame driving motor independently of the stop-motion operation.

A further object is to devise a stop-motion or control system in which the strand or filament sensing control (the slack-detector circuit) is rendered ineffective for a limited time upon starting the machine after each stopping operation.

For the purpose of preventing lint from the air from accumulating on the frame, I use a travelling down-draft air cleaner to blow the lint away. The air blown from the cleaner will damage the delicate roving when the roving is still but will not damage it when the frame is running.

Accordingly, another object of this invention is to provide for the stopping of the cleaner air-stream when the roving frame is stopped, and to delay the starting of the cleaner air-stream for a time after re-starting of the frame.

The above and other objects will be apparent upon considering the following specification and the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the single figure of drawing, there is shown a wiring diagram representing my invention. In this diagram, the power motor for driving the roving frame is represented at M and is energized from a three-phase line L1, L2 and L3 through the contacts of an electromagnetic switch or relay R2 which, in turn, is energized under the control of the shipper-rod SR and is de-energized under the control of a relay R1 included in the slack-detector circuit controlled by the drop-wires. A time delay relay R3 delays the energization of the slackdetector circuit for a fixed but adjustable time upon starting the frame after each stopping operation.

The cleaner driving motor shown at CM is energized from the same source as motor M and is controlled by relay R5 which in turn is controlled by time delay relay R4- to delay operation of the cleaner motor CM for a limited time after starting of the main drive motor M. As indicated above, the travelling air cleaner is of the down-draft type which is well known and is indicated diagrammatically in the drawing at TC. Essentially, the cleaner comprises an air blower represented at AB enclosed within a suitable housing and directing air streams downwardly through open-ended ducts DAend DB mounted to travel above the two rows of spindles on opposite sides of the roving frame.

in the circuit diagram, the numeral 1 represents a bank of switches such as the drop-wire switches 9 in my Patent No. 2,658,326, issued November 10, 1953. One side of each switch in bank 1 is connected to ground by means of a common conductor 3 and the other side Stats Patent r'r 2,971,329 lge Patented Feb. 14, 1

of each switch is connected to a common conductor 4. Conductor 4 may include a normally closed switch 5 serving the function of limit switch 24 of my patent above referred to. Conductor 4 is included in the energizing circuit of relay R1 which is energized from the Secondary winding 11 of a transformer T. One terminal of winding 11 isgrounded at Ma and the other terminal is connected through fuse 12 and conductor 13 to coil 14 of relay R1 and then by conductor 15 to conductor 4. Conductor 16 connects conductor 4 with a pilot light 17, which is connected to conductor 13 by means of conductor 18. A holding circuit for coil 14 and for lamp 17 is completed to the grounded end of winding 11 through a normally open switch on relay R1 formed of switch blade '7 and cooperating contacts.

It is preferred that transformer T be a step-down transformer producing an output voltage less than 25 volts, for example, about 12 volts.

Theenergizing circuit for primary winding 19 of transformer T is completed across power lines L1 and L2 through the following elements: from line L1 through conductor 4%), switch blade 41, conductors 42 and 43, switch blade 44 of relay R3, primary winding 19, and conductor 45 back to L2. Switch blade 41 is controlled by the shipper rod SR (represented in dotted lines) and is closed in the run and jog positions of the shipper rod but is open in the off position. The switch blade 44 is normally open when relay R3 is de-energized and, upon energization of the relay, it moves to closed position after a predetermined time as determined by the setting of the time delay mechanism indicated at TD3. The coil of relay R3 is connected between conductors 42 and 45 and is energized whenever switch 41 is closed.

The winding 47 of relay R2 is energized through a circuit extending from line Ll through conductor 40, switch 41, conductor 42, switch blade 8 on relay R1, conductor :8, switch blade 49, relay coil 47, conductor 50 and two overload switch blades 51, 52 to conductor 45 and back to line L2. Switch 8 is closed when relay R1 is de-energized and opens upon operation of this relay. Switch 49 is controlled by the shipper rod SR and is open in the run position of the shipper rod but is closed in the off and jog positions of this rod. A switch blade SS'operated by the armature of relay R2 closes a holding circuit for the coil of relay R2 around the switch blade 49 when the relay is energized. The trippingcoils 5 1a and 52a for overload switches 51 and 52 are connected in power lines Ll. and L3. These switches remain closed except upon overload.

.Relay R5 which controls the power circuit to the cleaner motor CM is energized in parallel with the coil ofrelayjRZthrough switch blade 54 of time delay relay R4. This switch blade is normally open when relay R4 is de-energized and, upon energization of relay R4, it moves to closed position after a predetermined time determined by the adjustment of the time delay mechanism TD4. The coil of relay R4 is connected in parallel with the coil of relay R2, so that relay R4 is energized simultaneously with the starting of the main drive motor M;

The diagram in the drawing shows the conditions for normaloperation of the roving frame, both motors being After the damaged roving has been repaired, the operator shifts the shipper rod SR to the off position, thereby opening switch 4-1 and de-energizing transformer T. This de-energizes relay R1 which will not be energized again until the transformer is re-energized and one of the drop-wire switches closes. Opening of switch 41 also de-energizes time delay relay R3 which opens switch 44 in the primary circuit of transformer T, and this switch cannot be closed again except upon the closing of switch 41, and even then the closing of switch 44 is delayed a predetermined time by the delay mechanism TDS.

After repairing the damage to the roving, the operator may wish to operate the main driving motor M for a short period of time without energizing the slack-detector circuit. For this purpose he moves the shipper rod SR into the jog position which effects closing of both switches 41 and 49 to energize starting relay R2 for the motor M. Relay R3 is energized at the same time, but the slack-detector circuit remains unenergized because switch 44 is delayed in closing. The amount of delay provided by delay mechanism TD3 is adjustable, and may be of the order of 8 to 10 seconds or more, to give the operator time to make the necessary adjustments in the machine. Relay R4 is energized simultaneously with relay R2, but the circuit for the cleaner motor remains open for a predetermined time delay fixed by the time delay mechanism TD4. If the necessary adjustments are not completed within the time delay fixed by T133 and TD4, the operator returns the shipper rod to the off position and then back to the jog position where the timing begins over again.

After all the adjustments have been made and the machine is ready for normal operation, the shipper rod is moved to the run position where the switch 41 remains closed and the switch 49 opens. Upon closing of relay switch 44, the slack-detector circuit is energized and becomes effective to stop the machine in response to operation of a drop-wire switch.

It will be noted that the cleaner motor is not energized until a certain time after the machine is put into operation. This insures that the rovings are in motion and are being twisted at the time the air stream is applied, thus avoiding damage to the rovings by the air-stream from the cleaner.

I claim:

1. In a control system. for a roving machine driven by a main motor and provided with a travelling lint cleaner for blowing a stream of air on the machine, said cleaner being operated by a separate motor from said driving motor, the combination of means normally energizing both of said motors, slack-detector means responsive to a predetermined slack in a roving for dc-energizing both of said motors simultaneously, manual control means for re-starting said main driving motor, means controlled by said manual means for preventing control of said main driving motor by said slack-detector means for a predetermined time after the restarting of said main driving motor, and means controlled by said manual means upon restarting of said main driving motor for effecting the re-start-ing of said cleaner motor at a predetermined time after the starting of said main driving motor.

2. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said main motor is energized by a starting relay having an energizing winding, a circuit for energizing said winding including a normally closed switch and a normally open switch connected in series, said manual means operating to close said normally open switch to start said main motor, switch means controlled by said starting relay for completing a holding circuit for said relay winding around said normally open switch, and said slackdetector means being responsive to a predetermined slack in a textile strand driven by said machine and operating to open said normally closed switch.

3. A control system according to claim 2 wherein said manual means is a movable element having run, jog and off positions and operating said normally open switch to closed position in the jog position thereof, and a third switch connected in series with said energizing circuit and operated to closed position by said movable element in the jog and run positions thereof.

4. A control system according to claim 3 and including a time-delay relay energized by said third switch, and a circuit for energizing said slack-detector means including switch means controlled by said time-delay relay for energizing said slack-detector means a predetermined time after closing of said third switch.

5. A control system according to claim 4 and including a step-down transformer for energizing said slackdetector means, said switch means of said time-delay relay controlling the primary circuit of said transformer.

6. In a control system for a roving machine driven by a main motor and provided with a travelling lint cleaner for bloun'ng a stream of air on the machine, the combination of means normally energizing said motor and effecting operation of said cleaner, slack-detector means responsive to a predetermined slack in a roving for simultaneously de-energizing said motor and reducing the cleaner air-stream, manual control means for restarting said driving motor, means controlled by said manual means for preventing control of said driving motor by said slack-detector means for a predetermined time after the re-starting of said driving motor, and means controlled by said manual means upon re-starting of said driving motor for efiecting the re-establishment of said cleaner air-stream at a predetermined time after the starting of said driving motor. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Harris Mar. 22, 1955 

